Combined dampening and ironing machine.



PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903.

T. S. WILES. COMBINED DAMPENING AND IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 6, 1902.

No MoDjBL.

mM/f/ W/ T/VESSES m: Nonms mms co, PHomAumu, w-s.rnvr.roN. o c

NTTED STATES 'Patented August 18, 1903.

THOMAS S. 'WILES, OF ALBANY, NENV YORK.

COMBINED DAMPENING AND IRONING MACHINE.

S?ECIFIGATION forming' part of Letters Patent N o. 736,661, dated August18, 1903.

Application led October 6, 1902. Serial No. 126,180. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS S. XVILES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Albany, in the county of Albany, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Dampening andIroning Machine, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to ,the accompanying drawings.

This invention refers to a combined dampening and ironing machine; andit has for its object the provision of a machine that will perform thefunctions of both a dampening and of an ironing machine, embodyingelements that shall subject the articles operated upon to thecontinuously-successive operations of the application of moisture, itsconversion into steam, the permeation ofthe article with or by saidsteam while under the mechanical pressure of an elastic resistingsurface whereby seams and protrusions are embedded, so as to bring theentire surface of the article into contact with the dampening means, andto subsequent pressure between pairs of heated and clothed rollers,which perform solely the ironing function. Certain features ofconstruction herein shown and described are not herein claimed, as theyform the subject-matter of another pending application, Serial No.126,179,1iled by me October 6, 190;?, relating more particularly to thedampening means disclosed, but not claimed herein per se.

It is proper to state at this point that while the dampening of starchedgoods in the process of laundering the same by the application ofmoisture, heat, and pressure is one of the principal features of myinvention, but not herein broadly claimed, as aforesaid, the applicationof mechanism for performing these functions to and their incorporationin an ironing-machine also possesses material advantages in thelaundering art in that not only is there accomplished an immediatesuccession of the two operations of dampening and ironing, whereby agreater uniformity in the quality of the work is accomplished, but theentire dampcning department of a laundry is practically superseded andmaterial eX- penses involved in the provision of machinery and the powerand employees required to operate the same are saved.

The object of the invention, as heretofore expressed, is to combine withan ironing-machine means for moistening the articles to be ironed andfor changing or converting said moisture into steam, which is caused topermeate the article, and thereby dampen the same. This dampeningprocess involves the employment of moisture, heat, and pressure, andthese three operations may be performed upon the article by applyingmoisture to the article immediately preceding or simultaneously with theapplication thereto of heat and pressure, and it is apparent that suchapplication of heat and pressure may be applied by heating and pressuredevices arranged to act immediately preceding the performance of theironing function of the machine. It will also hereinafter appear that anironing element or a dampening element,or both, may be either rotary orreciprocative and the heated member of any pair of the ironing elementsmay be of such construction that it may be heated by steam, gas,electricity, or any other suitable means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, VFigure 1 isa substantially central verticalsection of a combined dampening and ironing machine constructedin'accordance with my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views showingmodiiications hereinafter described.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several igures of the drawings.

A represents the frame of the machine, and it may be of any suitableconfiguration for the support of the operative parts. Within the frameand in suitable movable bearings are mounted a desired number of clothedrollers or drums B, B, and 32. These drums are suitably clothed with adesired number of plies of woolen cloth and with an outer cover of pliesof cotton cloth or with other suitable clothing, all as well known inthe laundering art. Arranged to cooperate with each of the clothedrollers, respectively, are heated rollers C, C2, and C3. As illustratedin Fig. 1, there are two heated rollers C3, cooperating with the clothedroller B2 for a purpose hereinafter described, While it is appar- IOOent that a single heated roller C3 may be employed with the clothedroller B2, as shown in Fig. 2. The clothed roller or drum B and theheated roller C constitute what I have designated as a pair of ironingelements of the machine, and the clothed roller or drum Bl and theheated roller C2 constitute another pair of ironing elements, butinversely arranged relatively to' the previously mentioned pair. Thisinverse arrangement is for the purpose of ironing goods upon oppositesides, so that it is apparent that Where goods are to be ironed onlyupon one side a single pair of ironing elements only is required.

D represents a lever suitably connected with the movable bearing of theroller B. for the ,purpose of raising and lowering said roller.

It is understood that said lever and others to be described operativelyconnected therewith are duplicated, there being a set at each side ofthe machine and operating upon the bearings at each end of the variousrollers controlled thereby.

D is a lever pivoted at D2 in the frame of the machine and connectedoperativelyv with the lever D, it may be, in any suitable manner, but inthis instance by a projection D2 on said lever, while at the oppositeend of the lever D connection is made with a vertical rod D4, operatingdirectly on thebearing of the roller B.

D5 is a lever pivotally connected with the lever D4, as shown, and withthe frame A at D6 in front of the clothed roller B2 and so as to passbeneath the bearing of said roller. Depending from the lever D5 arehangers D7 D8, and at the lower ends of said hangers there are bars D10or rollers D2, either or both, which serve to lift the apron E from theheated rollers C5 into the path indicated by dotted lines when the upperclothedrollers of the machine are elevated, as will now be described.Now it will be observed that when the lever or rod D is drawn downwardlythe roller B will be moved, as indicated in dotted lines, away from theheated roller C', the roller B' will be elevated, as indicated in dottedlines, away from the heated roller C2, and

A the roller B2 will also be elevated away from the heated rollers C2beneath the same. This separation of the clothed from the heated membersis utilized whenever the machine is not in use for the purpose ofpreserving the clothing from injury by the continued application of heatthereto.

E represents an endless apron of any desired absorbent material, and itis guided into and through a tank F and beneath a roller Il in said tankfor the purpose of moistening said apron. In its travel from the tankthe apron passes between wringing-rollers G and G', one of which isprovided with an adjusting-bolt G2, there being one at each end of theroller, to determine the pressure of the wringing-roller upon the apron,and thereby to determine the quantity of moisture which the apron willabsorb and carry in its further travel, which is over an adjustableroller E, f

the adjustment being of the usual form by means of bolts E2 at itsbearings, and from thence over the heated rollers G2 and beneath theclothed roller B2 to and about another guide-roller, E2, and from thenceto the tank F, as clearly shown. Any suitable system of gearing may beemployed and applied in accordance with the skill of a mechanicconversant with this class of machines to give rotation of a particulardirection to the various moving elements of the machine and movement tothe endless apron therein embodied.

As thus far described the operation is as follows: The endless apronwhile in the tank F absorbs to its fullest capacity water, and as ittravels through the wringing or pressure rollers the amount of water ormoisture retained by the apron is determined. The surplus water ormoisture expressed by the wringingrollers falls backward into the tank,while the desired degree of moisture is retained by the apron, so thatgoods placed upon it in front of the roller B2 pass, with the apron,between' said roller and the iirst-heated roller C3, where the moisturein the apron is converted into steam and forced upwardly through thearticle, the clothing of the roller B2 permitting of the embedment ofseams or other protrusions or thicker portions of the article beingoperated upon, so that a uniformity of distribution of moisture throughthe article is secured. .In some articles, particularly those oflarger\bulk and considerable thickness, a repetition of the conversionof the moisture of the apron into steam and of the forcing of the samethrough the article is to be preferred, and in such cases a duplicateheated roller C3 is employed, as shown in Fig. l.

After this dampening operation the apron E conveys the article to thefirst pair of ironing members of the machine, where one surface thereofis ironed,and if it be the purpose to iron both sides of the article itis directed through and between the next pair of ironing members, which,as before stated and as shown, is inversely arranged for that purpose.If desired, bridges H and II/ and an endless conveyer II2 may beinterposed between the apron and the rst pair of ironing elements andbetween said pair and the succeeding pair of elements to facilitate thepassage of an article or articles through the machine.

In Fig. 2 the clothed roller B2 and heated roller C3, the apron E, andits adjuncts, together with the tank F, are mounted in a frameworkadapted to their operative support and to be attached to the frameworkof an ironingmachine and as an attachment thereto.

In Fig, 3 I have illustrated the application of my invention to anironing-machine in which is embodied a reciprocative ironing member. Inthe frame A there are formed guideways A for a reciprocating cross-headI, carrying a yoke I', terminating at one end in an ironing member inthe form of a heated chest I2 and at the other end in a pressure lIOdevice or platen I3, having any desired elothmembers, with a moistenin gand dampening ing I* upon the operating-face thereof. The x frame A alsosupports a heated member J, over which an endless apron E is guided by asuitable roller E, adjusted by bolts and rollers and Ii", arranged inthe tank F, and wringing-rollers G and G, one of them being adjusted bybolts G2, the same being provided as and for the purpose shown in Fig. land hereinbetore described. The heated memberJ and the ironing member I2may be heated by any known means. In this instance, however, each isprovided with an inlet-pipe K and an outlet-pipe K', whereby steam maybe employed as the heating agent. An endless apron L maybe employed inconnection with the platen M, supported by the frame A and cooperatingwith the ironing member or chest I2, said platen being provided withclothing M in addition to the apron L, if desired, said apron in therelation shown serving as the clothing for the platen M. By forming thisclothing as an apron L successive portions ot the same are brought intouse and the larger proportion in length of the apron is exposed to theatmosphere, so that the moisture driven thereinte from an article beingironed evaporates and thus a longer service is secured than where oneand the same portion is subjected to use. Any suitable driving mechanismmay be provided for reciprocating the cross-head, the yoke, the pressureor platen member I3, and the ironing member I2. Suitable driving meansproperly timed with relation to the reciprocation of the cross-head, soas to feed or move the aprons E and L when the crosshead is elevatedand'to maintain said aprons at rest when said cross-head is depressed,may be provided in accordance with the skill of a mechanic eonversantwith this class of machinery.

It is apparent that the apron E is moistened in the tank and the degreeof moisture which it shall carry is determined by the wringing-rollersand that said moisture will be converted into steam by the heat of themember .I and said steam forced through the article when pressed uponthe apron by the platen I3. As said platen rises the apron E will conveythe article bein g operated upon to the apron L, which will carry thearticle to and upon the platen M, where said article will be ironed bythe direct pressure of the member I2 when the same is depressed by thecross-head and yoke carrying the same.

It is apparent that vario usly-difl'erin g modiications of the detailsof construction herein shown and described will suggest themselves topersons skilled in the art, and I therefore do not limit my invention inthis regard.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an ironing-machine, the combination of a series of pairs of heatedand clothed means arranged to coact with the first of said pairs ol'fheated and clothed members; substantially as specified.

2. Inf an ironing-machine, the combination of a series of pairs ofheated and clothed members, with a moistening and dampening meansarranged to coact with the first' of said pairs the members of asucceeding pair being inversely arran ged g substantially as sp eciiied.

3. The combination with the heated and clothed members of anironing-machine, of a moistening device, means for regulating the degreeof moisture, means for converting said moisture into steam, and meansfor conducting an article thus moistened and dampened into and betweensaid ironing members; substantially as specied.

4. The combination with the first pair of heated and clothed members ofan ironingmachine, of moistening and dampening devices, means forregulating the degree of moisture, means for converting said moistureinto steam, and means for conducting an article thus dampened therebydirectly into and between said ironing members; substantially asspecied.

5. In an ironing-machine, the combination of heated and clothed members,an endless apron, a water-receptacle, wringing-rollers, guiding andcarrying rollers directing said apron into the water-receptacle andthence between said heated and clothed members and to the ironingmembers ol' said machine; substantially as specified.

G. The combination of a series of pairs of clothed and heated members,an endless apron, means for moistening the same, and means forseparating said clothed and heated members from each other;substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a heated roller, a clothed roller adapted tocooperate therewith, an interposed endless apron, means for moisteningsaid apron, and means for separating the clothed roller and endlessapron from the heated roller; substantially as specified.

8. The combination with two pairs of heated and clothed rollers of anironing-machine, an endless apron, a heated and a clothed rollcooperating therewith, means for moistening said apron, means forregulating the degree of moisture thereof, and means for separating theclothed roller and endless apron from the coperatingheated rollersimultaneously with the separation of the heated and clothed members ofsaid ironing-machine; substantially as specified.

9. The combination with inverse pairs of ironing members, of a pair ofmembers one of which is clothed and the other of which is heated, anendless apron interposed between said latter members, means formoistening said endless apron, guide means arranged between the inversemembers, and means for IOO IIO

separating said clothed from said heated and through between saidinversely-arranged Io member; substantially as specified. elements;substantially as specified.

10. The Combination of a clothed member, In testimony whereof I affix mysignature heatedmemberseoperativelyarrangedtheren presence of twoWitnesses. 5 with, an interposed moisture- Carrying de- 1 Vice, meansfor :regulating the degree of mois- THOMAS S' VILES" ture thereof,inversely arranged pairs of Vitnesses:

ironing' members, and means for transferring GEORGE B. EHRMANN,

articles from the first-mentioned elements t0 JAMES A. CLEARY.

